References & Quotes

Steve Davis

I first encountered John Parris in the mid-Eighties when he offered to make me a replica of my original cue. I was so impressed with the results that when the ferrule suddenly broke on my cue during a tournament I had no hesitation in taking it straight to John to be repaired.
In fact, the cue needed major surgery. While John and I were discussing the prognosis I told him that because I was certain the overall balance of my cue was going to be affected anyway he may as well make it into what is now commonly known as a three-quarter length two-piece cue. That way I would be able to take advantage of the screw-in extensions rather than the unsatisfactory slot-on type.
I remember John taking all this in his stride, although he later confided that it was rather a nervous moment when he brought the saw down on the cue of the then fourtimes world champion.
A number of years later my trusty cue finally decided it preferred being warped to remaining straight and so it was a natural progression to change to a Parris cue. During that period many of the top players had either had work done to their cue or opted for one of John's. So in what seemed like a very short period of time John Parris became "the No 1 cue maker" and I can personally vouch for the fact that it is a thoroughly deserved accolade.
His standard of workmanship is superb. He takes pride in every cue that leaves his workshop and his attention to detail and, indeed, customer satisfaction are unsurpassed.
The experience he has built up by coming into contact with so many of the top professionals is something that every customer ultimately benefits from. While John Parris would never be as undiplomatic as to tell a fellow-professional that his ideas on what he wants may not be what he actually needs, it would be a fool who totally disregards his wise words, especially when it comes to important decisions on the dimensions and weight distribution of a snooker cue.
John Parris does not really need any recommendations from the professionals. One just has to look at the number of top players who use a Parris cue. Surely that is testament enough to the esteem that this great cue maker is held in.
Best regards,
Steve Davis

“Dear John Just a brief note to say thanks for all your help trying to resolve the problems with my cue. I appreciate all the hard work you've put in over the last few months to make the alterations a success. In the last few tournaments I feel that my…”